Know More About Psoriasis

Psoriasis refers to a skin disease which causes patches of red skin that is thick and scaled. It causes lot of pain, redness, swelling and irritation in affected areas of skin. In this disease the skin cells multiply ten times faster than the normal skin cells. In a rapid rate the skin cells grow under the skin and rise to the surface, causing them to pile up on to the surface. This looks like red plaques that are covered by white scales. The main areas that are affected by Psoriasis are the elbows, knees and the scalp. However, it may also occur on the soles of your feet, your palms and your torso. In some cases psoriasis patches can even be found on the genitals, toenails, fingernails and even inside your mouth.

Symptoms of Psoriasis:

Symptoms of psoriasis depend a lot on the type of psoriasis you are suffering from. Nevertheless a few symptoms of plaque psoriasis, which is the most common type of Psoriasis, are:

Plaques of red skin that are covered with silver-colored loose scales. They may cause pain and itching. At times they may even crack or bleed. They may even grow and merge, thereby covering large areas of skin.

Changes in toenails and fingernails which may include discoloration or pitting. You may even find your nails crumbling and detaching themselves from your nail beds.

Scaling or crusting on your scalp

Causes of Psoriasis:

Psoriasis often begins when the T cells in the body start becoming too active, setting off the various immune responses. T Cells are a type of white blood cells that protect the body against diseases and infections. Active T Cells lead to fast multiplication of skin cells that might lead to swelling. At times people even find their skin getting better. However, the following things can lead towards the worsening of your skin in Psoriasis:

Stress

Infections

Side effects of certain medication

Climatic changes that may dry up the skin

Diagnosis of Psoriasis:

Psoriasis looks like any other kind of skin disease which makes it difficult to diagnose. However, a qualified dermatologist may be able to tell you after extracting a sample of your skin and examining it under a microscope.

Types of Psoriasis:

Apart from Plaque Psoriasis which is explained above, the other types of psoriasis include:

Pustular psoriasis: This is characterized by tiny pustules and red scaly skin on the soles of the feet and the palms

Guttate psoriasis: This condition may start in childhood or in young adulthood. It is characterized by tiny red spots that occur on limbs and the torso. The triggers for these may include respiratory infections, tonsillitis, strep throat, skin injury, stress or use of beta blockers or anti-malarial medications

Inverse psoriasis: This is a type of psoriasisthat is characterized by shiny and bright red lesions, which are often seen in places where the skin folds such as in the groin area, under the breasts or in the armpits

Erythrodermic psoriasis: This kind of psoriasis is characterized by redness of skin and shedding of scaly sheets that occur periodically. This condition could be triggered upon a withdrawal from psoriasis treatment, infection, severe sunburn, or consumption of certain medications. This condition often needs urgent medical treatment as it can otherwise lead to severe illness.

Treatments and remedies:

The right treatment for Psoriasis depends upon a following things including:

The exact type of Psoriasis

The severity of the condition

The size of the patches

The reactions of the patient towards various treatments

What may work for someone else may or may not work for you. At times there may be a requirement to change the treatment whenever the doctor feels the treatment is not working or it is giving rise to some unwanted effects. The various types of treatments can be categorized as:

Topical Treatments:

These refer to ointments and creams that can be applied on the Psoriasis patches. Such treatments help in:

Reducing inflammation

Minimizing the skin cell turnover

Suppressing the immune system

Causing the skin to peel

Unclogging pores

Soothing the skin

Light Therapy:

This treatment involves the use of natural or artificial ultraviolet light to treat Psoriasis. One such treatment is PUVA that makes use of a drug that can make the skin much more sensitive to the ultraviolet light to improve the effectiveness of the treatment.

Systemic Treatment:

Systematic treatment involves the prescription of drugs or shots of medicines when the condition is severe. Antibiotics are usually not administered unless bacteria worsen the condition of Psoriasis.

Combination Therapy:

At times to achieve better results, doctors use a combination therapy where they use light therapy, systematic treatment and topical therapy in low doses.
Psoriasis can be quite uncomfortable and frustrating to deal with. It is a condition that keeps changing throughout the lifetime. However, proper medications and therapies can help in managing the condition. The trick is to get in touch with a qualified dermatologist who has experience in treating many cases of Psoriasis effectively. You can give us a call and avail a free consultation with Dr. Rashmi to get your condition assessed and come up with the right treatment that might work well for you.

Our Experienced Team:

Dr. Rashmi is a well-qualified dermatologist in Bangalore who has treated many clients with different kinds of ailments. She has a clinic that is fully equipped with sophisticated equipment of the latest technology. She has a dedicated team under her that works towards absolute satisfaction of her clients. They take complete precautions to make sure there are no unwanted side effects either during or after the treatment. With excellent after-care facilities, Dr.Rashmi is on her way to become one of top dermatologists in India. A bit of info about psoriasis and the kind of treatments available can help you take the right decision towards cure.